


Bonk Means I Love You

by buttered_butter, FrostyFallon



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, and then sads happened, rodimus has a faceplate, thats it, the whole au, was suppose to be fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-15
Updated: 2018-12-15
Packaged: 2019-09-18 15:05:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16997271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buttered_butter/pseuds/buttered_butter, https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrostyFallon/pseuds/FrostyFallon
Summary: When you don't have a mouth kissing becomes a lot harder. Rodimus finds a way to work around this though because not kissing Drift is not an option.





	Bonk Means I Love You

**Author's Note:**

> So this entire thing came from me being in a Big Driftrod Mood and then combined with an au that Rod has no mouth and just a faceplate. Butter wrote Sleep and ty so much for that i'm weak for soft Driftrod.

**[Rodimus]**

 

So his plan with Swindle failed. Well not so much  _ fail _ as completely ruin everything and make him look like a dumb, useless,  _ idiot _ .  _ He was so stupid to think working with Swindle of all mechs would actually work! _

 

He has a plan to make up for it though, but before putting it into action there's someone he needs to talk to.

 

He finds himself standing at the door to their shared hab. Just in and out. He just has to say what he needs to and he’s gone. Easy. Or it should be but he can’t bring himself to face the other mech.

 

What did the humans do to calm their, er… nerves? Inhale and exhale? Couldn't hurt to try…

 

In.

 

And out.

 

Ok, he can do this. Now or never. He punches in the four digit code to their hab and walks through the door before he can regret it, the door closes behind him with a soft ‘whoosh.’

 

There, on their berth is Drift

 

“Hey…” he says, any shred of confidence leaves him.

 

“Hot Rod…” Not good, Drift didn't call him ‘Roddy.’ That means he’s upset, and well Hot Rod can’t blame him but… Ya, no, he deserves this. “Why?” 

 

That one question makes him feel smaller than ever. Why  _ had _ he done it?

 

“I was stupid.”

 

“That doesn’t tell me  _ why.” _

 

“You know  _ why _ . I wanted to go home, to Cybertron. I don’t get why we have to stay on Earth anymore! And I thought- I thought I could trust Swindle, like an  _ idiot _ . And now, now I-” He can’t bring himself to see Drift’s reaction as he says, “I need to fix things, s-so this is go-goodbye.”

 

He’s not going to cry.  _ He’s not _ .

 

“Roddy” He doesn't see Drift move from the berth but he does feel when Drift wraps his arms around his smaller frame in a hug. “You don’t have to do whatever it is you’re planning.” Drift moves to cup Hot Rod’s face, “You don't have to do it  _ alone _ .” He positions Hot Rod's face so that he can meet Drift’s optics. “We’ve all made mistakes Roddy, some of us more than others,” Drift gives him a pained smile, “Just give it time and the others will begin to forgive you. There's no need for some daring plan.”

 

He hugs the other mech tightly, burying his face in Drift’s chest plates. He  _ isn’t _ sobbing.

 

“I have to, I’m sorry. I- I can’t wait I  _ have _ to go.” He removes himself from Drift’s arms and stares up into Drift’s eyes. “I love you.”

 

It’s times like these he wishes he was forged with a mouth, one last kiss before facing the unknown and all that, instead he stands on the tips of his feet and tilts his face up to lightly bonk his faceplate against Drift’s chin.

 

_ Ting. _

 

“I love you” He repeats confidently. “But, I have to do this.”

 

Drift looks at him sadly.

 

“I love you too.” Drift replies before leaning down and leaving a kiss on Hot Rods faceplates. “Come back, OK? I’ll miss you.” 

 

“I- I will. I promise.”

 

He does, eventually come back, but not as Hot Rod, as  _ Rodimus _ . He’s got the matrix stuck in his chest, his frame is different, but, still no mouth. He isn’t two feet from the exit to the room Optimus is in when he’s wrapped up into someone's arms.

 

“We all thought you were _dead!_ _I_ thought you were dead!” Drift, it was _Drift_. He reacts immediately returning the embrace. In the back of his mind he realizes that he’s roughly the same height as Drift now, no more need to look up whenever he was near Drift.

 

“I promised you didn’t I?” 

 

Later both mechs would deny that they ever broke down crying in the middle of the hallway, but right now neither cared enough to what any passerby might think. Rodimus certainly didn't care if he’d permanently dent his faceplate by bonking it against Drift’s frame and Drift didn't mind that he might’ve ruined his reputation of being a calm and collected mech. Both cared little if at all for the dent’s they surely sported from holding onto one another so tightly.

 

They were both alive and together, and that's all that mattered.

 

**[Buying A Ship]**

 

_ “You bought me a ship?!?” _ Rodimus exclaims. “I thought we’d be getting something like a shuttle or- or a pod but a  _ ship!  _ How many bots can it hold? How fast does it go? Wha-”

 

“Slow down there hot stuff. We can’t go off exploring in a  _ pod _ and well… You deserve something nice.” Drift shifts a bit in embarrassment. “And it can hold over 200 mechs and is equipped with quantum engines so-”

 

“Drift you have no idea how much I love you right now!” Rodimus flings himself at the other mech and  brings his faceplate to the side of Drifts face with a loud ‘clang.’ “A ship! You! Bought!  _ Me! _ A! Ship!” Each word is met with another bonk of his faceplate against Drift’s face.

 

Drift lets out a laugh as he’s covered in Rodimus’ ‘kisses.’

 

Eventually Rodimus places his forehead against Drift's, optics bright and his field awash in joy.

 

“You’re amazing, you know that right? You have to be the best boyfriend in the  _ universe _ .”

 

“No, i’m sure that honor goes to you Roddy.”

 

Rodimus buries his face into Drift’s neck.

 

“You’re such a sap.” he mumbles.

 

“But you love me.”

 

“Yeah ‘course I do, still a sap.” Rodimus looks up Drift with a look that Drift had come to realize was pure mischief. “So, how about me and you go christen the ship, hm?”

 

“ _ Rodimus! _ We- I-  _ We’re in public!”  _ Drift sputters, “And besides we can’t christen the Lost Light this isn't her maiden voyage!”

 

“You named it the Lost Light?”

 

“Hm? Oh yeah, after the festival…”

 

“‘S a good name. Not as good as the Rodiship but still good.”

 

“Roddy, I love you but that's a  _ terrible _ name for a ship.”

 

“Rude! You’re so rude! At least let me name a pod the Rod Pod!”

 

“Done.” Drift says with a kiss to Rodimus’ faceplate.

 

**[Attention]**

 

Primus give him the patience and restraint to continue.

 

_ “Drift _ , hey, Drifter, Drifty, Driiiiiift.”

 

He is currently _trying_ to work on both his and Rodimus’ paperwork. Just so it gets Magnus off their backs (and maybe just maybe Magnus would see how responsible and trustworthy he is doing _twice_ the work!). So for the sake of their sanity (and his image) he sadly ignores Rodimus.

 

“Come oooooon, Drift, Dwifty-Wifty.”

 

Primus help him that was a terrible nickname.

 

“Ha! You twitched! You _ are _ listening!”

 

“Roddy…”

 

“Come on Drift you've been working  _ forever _ when you could be cuddling me.”

 

“I need to do these reports and  _ then _ we can cuddle, I don't want to get on Magnus’ bad side, or well, on his  _ worse _ side.”

 

Oh no, he knew that look. The Rodimus equivalent of a pout.

 

“I know that but… This is suppose to be  _ fun _ . Me, you and the crew, chasing a legend!”

 

“And we still  _ are, _ Roddy.” He leans down and places a kiss on Rodimus’ faceplate. “It's just, running a crew needs administration, something to guide them. Your a wonderful captain but you can't tell over 200 bots what to do all the time can you?”

 

“Guess not but still… It only takes one hand to file reports right?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Then there! One hand to do reports and this lucky guy,” Rodimus picks up his left hand, “Gets to pet my spoiler. What do you say?”

 

“I think that's a great compromise,” He plants another kiss on Rodimus’ faceplate and receives a bonk in return. “You know, compromise is a great quality in leaders.”

 

“Obviously, that's why I'm the captain.”

 

Drift laughs, quickly plants a kiss on Rodimus’ faceplate, and shifts his attention back to the small stack of datapads he has yet to finish. His left hand absentmindedly pets the other mechs spoiler. Within minutes he had a lump of content speedster in his lap, engine purring from the gentle pets. It brought a smile to Drift’s face, who'd of thought he'd ever end up here; with enough energon to always have a full tank and comfortable berth to share with a mech he loves more than anything and who loves him in return.

 

Maybe Rodimus was right, he was becoming a sap.

 

**[Hedonia]**

 

_ Finally,  _ shore leave on an interesting planet. Not that the other planets they had visited were  _ un _ interesting but they didn't compare to Hedonia which had actual tourist sites. Nevermind that most were off limits to non-organics, that was easily fixed with holomatter avatars. It'd be just him and Drift, walking around doing all that touristy stuff. Aka _ a date _ . 

 

They activate both their avatars and step off the Lost Light onto Hedonia. Hand in hand.

 

“So where first? The Lube Pits?” His avatar smiles (smiles!!) at Drift.

 

“No, absolutely not, that sounds  _ terrible.” _

 

“Kidding, kidding. But seriously, we have what, a couple hours? Just me, you, and aaaaaaall,” he sweeps his arm around in an arc, ”these shops and tourist traps.”

 

“Well, how about we start with this?”

 

Drift’s avatar turns towards him, bending down just slightly and plants a caste kiss on his lips. The feeling is odd. As most physical touches with a holomatter avatar are. The feeling isn't right, isn't a real kiss. It's more or less like a um, a diluted kiss. Something like that. It's hard to describe. Almost like smelling a tasty energon goodie but being unable to eat it.

 

Drift pulls back from the kiss smiling.

 

But, as happy as he was to somewhat kiss Drift it  _ hurt _ . Just a taste of something he can never have. He can never kiss Drift back. He can't gently cup Drift's face, lean in and softly kiss the bot he loves more than anything. No. He can only smash his faceplate in some horrible impersonation of a kiss. Kisses are suppose to be soft and nice, at least the ones Drift gives him always are, but in return all he can do is dent Drift.

 

So much for a good day together. That familiar emptiness fills him. Useless. What kind of boyfriend is he, hurting Drift just so he can pretend to have something he doesn't. He's the worst.

 

“Roddy? Rodimus?” Drift looks at him, expression nothing but pure concern. And there's another thing Drift has that he doesn't, expressions. He doesn't have bots guess how he feels they can just look and  _ know _ . And- Drift’s hand tightens around his. “Rod-”

 

Oh, he took a trip down self-hate avenue. Fun.

 

“I'm fine.” He chokes out as he forces a smile. Drift stares back with a frown.

 

“You know you can tell me if something is wrong. We can always just stay on the Lost Light. Put on a holovid, get snacks, and cuddle on the couch.” Drift lifts their held hands, caressing the back of his hand. He tightens his own grip, using it as a makeshift anchor. Drift  _ loves  _ him, mouth or no, expressions or not,  _ Drift loves him _ . He doesn't need to worry about any of that. Drift loves him  _ as he is. _

 

“No, no, I still wanna wander around Hedonia just thinking ‘bout stuff.” He offers another smile. This one doesn't feel as forced. The empty feeling still lingers but, he’s okay. He has Drift. He’s  _ ok _ . “So, shops? I'm almost certain I saw someone selling some energon goodies.”

 

“If you’re absolutely certain you’re okay…”

 

“I am,” He lifts their joined hands, “I have you.” 

 

He gets a smile for that.

 

“Then lead the way, hot stuff.”

 

**[Relax]**

 

What did Drift ever do to deserve someone like Rodimus is beyond him. The mech who had accepted him easily, who befriended,and  _ loved _ him like it was the most natural thing in the world, and  _ continues _ to love him. He didn't deserve this wonderful mech by his side if he was being truthful. And yet, he wouldn't give him up for the world. The world was brighter, warmer,  _ happier _ with the flame colored mech by his side.

 

It was the main reason why he can't help the dopey smile covering his face as he and Rodimus lean on one another. Both sitting on the floor of the oil reservoir dock feeding one another energon goodies. Well ‘feeding’ was a bit of a stretch more like-

 

“Catch!” Rodimus lobs the small blue goodie upwards, Drift acting quickly leans back to catch the treat in his mouth. Nice, copper with a magnesium filling. He glances over to Rod, the other's optics bright and engine softly purring as he scooted slightly closer to Drift.

 

“So, how was that?”

 

“Hmm,” Rodimus looks at him in over-dramatic deep thought, “7.5/10 You moved away from me too much.” He lightly flicks the edge of Rodimus’ spoiler.

 

“I'll have to work on that I suppose.” He leans down and kisses the side of Rodimus' helm before.leaning back. “Have to say, that Hedonian really knows how to make energon goodies.”

 

Rodimus gives him a noise of agreement. He grabs a random goodie from the box giving it a small glance over. Bright pink and blue swirled together and dusted with what looked like manganese flakes.

 

Unlike Rodimus, he doesn't toss the treat up instead he moves his hand to the fuel intake on the back of Rodimus’ neck to insert the goodie.

 

“Oh! Nice cobalt and copper!” Rodimus tilts hit faceplate up to lightly bonk Drift’s chin.

 

_ Ting. _

 

Who would've guessed four million years ago this is where he'd end up. Curled up next to a living space heater who is also the most amazing, wonderful, beautiful, trusting, and kind mech he’d ever met while also trading energon goodies with him.

 

Primus be praised for leading him to such an amazing mech.

 

**[Science]**

 

Ok so having a faceplate was cool and all but there was a certain downside to it and that one downside is he can't kiss Drift. Sure his bonks are wonderful and amazing and he  _ knows _ Drift loves them but he always feels guilty that he can never kiss Drift back. He knows that him hitting his faceplate can hurt sometimes, he’d seen the dents that would litter Drifts head if he got a bit too excited. So he was gonna ask Brainstorm to  _ make _ him a mouth. Honestly the mech made the impossible possible like on a daily basis, a mouth should be  _ nothing _ compared to his usual projects. 

 

“Hey, Brainstorm, quick question. Can you build me a mouth?” 

 

“Well  _ obviously  _ what kind of a genius would I be if I can't- excuse me what.”

 

“A mouth, you know, that thing you have behind your faceplate that I  _ don't.” _

 

“I know what a mouth is!”

 

“Great! Then build me one ‘kay?”

 

“And what about the Prismatic Gun? Or the Bounce-Back Ray? Or, Or! The Absurdity Engine! I can't just drop everything to build you a mouth.”

 

“Well, put it on the to-do list then! I can't kiss Drift with a gun!”

 

“Well actually…”

 

“No! I don't want a Make-Out gun! Just a mouth! You know I can't ask Perceptor or like Ratchet for this!”

 

“Well when you put it like  _ that _ … I guess I have to, being a genius is the burden I must bear… Sit down over there so I can grab some measurements.”

 

Rodimus runs over to the small seating area in the lab. Finally,  _ finally _ he will be able to actually kiss Drift, not just dent him, actually  _ kiss _ him!

 

This would be a  _ perfect  _ surprise.

 

**[Sleepy]**

 

Rodimus holds on to Drift. And Drift holds on to Rodimus. They bask in the light of each others optics, their hold on each other is nothing less than suffocating and tight. Plating creaks under the pressure of each others’ grip, but neither relents.

 

_ Ting _ .

 

A golden faceplate hits Drift on the chest. Blue light reflects off the white chest plate, and back into the gold of his beloved’s face. He tightens his grip even more, somehow, hugging Rodimus closer.

 

“Drift?”

 

The timbre of his voice, of the ever powerful, the fearless, the valiant mech, takes his breath away. The voice of a captain.  _ His _ Captain. His beautiful, wonderous captain, that always defies what is expected of him.

 

“Drift. You’re squishing me.”

 

Rodimus looks up at him. Faceplate rubbing against his own chest plate, denting the somehow pliable metal. He relaxes his grip allowing the speedster to release his  _ own _ death grip.

 

He lets out a snicker. Rodimus does too.

 

“Come on. Let’s get some actual sleep,” Rodimus suggests. There is a mischievous glint in his optics, one that he has before his impromptu bonking sessions.

 

“I know that look.”

 

Glee-filled optics can never prepare him for the bonks. Never. They were all different, each and every one. Special in scenario and occasion. Special in meaning, but still loving at each moment.

 

_ Ting. Ting. _

 

Two. Right over his spark.

 

_ Ting. _

 

One to his neck, a soft tickle.

 

_ Ting. Ting. Ting. _

 

Three to the side of his head.

 

Rodimus is coming in for another.  _ Was. _ Drift turns his head and catches the golden faceplate in a kiss. 

 

“I love you Roddy.”

 

He wraps his arms around him again. Loosely this time, and places another kiss to Rodimus’ faceplate.

 

“Love you too, Drifter.”

 

They hold each other again, but for once, without pain, without fear for once in their lives.

 

“Maybe… soon… when I get…” Rodimus mumbles.

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Nothing.” He dims his optics. “G’night.”

 

Drift smiles, and he follows suit. Into slumber, next to who he loves most.

 

**[First Step]**

 

It’s movie night for the two mechs both laying tangled in eachothers arms on the couch in their shared hab. Some cheesy action movie playing in the background both mechs only half paying attention to the movie.

 

_ Ting.  _

 

The sound is covered by the movie but the ‘kiss’ is still felt by Drift who smiles and returns the bonk with a kiss of his own. Rodimus rests his head against Drift’s spark, the soft whirring barely audible as a series of explosions happen on screen.

 

_ “Oh Xlintis how could you!” _

 

_ “Because… I'm your Fihtlen!” _

 

“Duh, that was obvious from the start. I love Vesta 4 but they make  _ terrible _ movies.”

 

“Hmmm, It's so bad it's almost cute.”

 

“That makes  _ zero _ sense.”

 

“ _ You _ make zero sense.”

 

Rodimus gives him his best indignant look. Before the look shifts to something more devious.

 

“Oh no-”

 

“Does  _ this make  _ zero sense?”

 

Rodimus begins to attack the transformation seams on Drift's sides causing Drift to burst into laughter.

 

“N- No! St- Stop! I give! I give!” 

 

Rodimus stops his assault but his optics are bright with mirth. Drift, still giggling beneath him, smiles up at the mech before he leans up to plant a kiss on the others faceplate.

 

“You make perfect sense, Roddy.”

 

“Good.”  _ Ting _ . “So do you Drifter.”

 

Rodimus shifts above him before snaking his arms around Drift and hugging tightly.

 

“Hey Drift?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“You know I love you right?”

 

“Of course, and I love you too.”

 

“Hmmm good. Cuz I was thinking…”

 

“Oh? Congratulations.”

 

That earns him a light hit to his side.

 

_ “Rude _ . Anyway I was thinking,” Rodimus buries his head into Drift’s chest plates, muffling his voice only slightly, “And maybe we should complete the conjunx ritus…”

 

Drift can only stare at the other mech. Rodimus looks up as the silence stretches on.

 

“If you don't-”

 

“Do you really want to?” Drift interrupts.

 

“Yeah,  _ course _ I do, Drift.  _ I love you _ .”

 

Drift clutches Rodimus to him, burying his face in the red and gold mechs neck.

 

“ _ Yes.”  _ He starts to cry, coolant streaming down his face despite the dopey grin stuck to his face. Rodimus, amazing, wonderful, Primus-blessed Rodimus wants to be  _ his _ conjunx.

 

Words can't describe his joy.

 

Rodimus clutches Drift to him as well, holding on to the mech like he might lose him if he let go. Drift moves back just enough to look Rodimus in the optics. Watery gaze meeting watery gaze. Drift throws himself at the other mech, kissing his faceplate with everything he has. In the background another explosion goes off but neither mech cares for the movie anymore, too lost in their own world for the moment.

 

Eventually Drift pulls back only for Rodimus to initiate his own series of kisses.

 

_ Ting. _

 

His forehead. (You're brilliant)

 

_ Ting. Ting. Ting.  _

 

Over his spark. (I love every bit of you)

 

_ Ting. Ting.  _

 

His face. (You're so amazing and beautiful)

 

“I love you more than you can imagine Rodimus of Nyon.”

 

“Good, because I love  _ you _ more than anything Drift of Rodion.”

 

**[A Mouth]**

 

Today was the day, he'd have a mouth. He can kiss Drift  today.

 

Ok, easy, this was easy, just, go to the medbay. Brainstorm had made the mouth which was  _ weird _ to look at because wow mouths are weird. Were they always this weird? Drift’s never seemed this odd. Not, that he stares at Drift’s mouth often. Er, at all, doesn't stare. At. All. That would be weird. 

 

Ok, but mouth, getting one. Ratchet hadn't been  _ too _ happy when he asked him to do the surgery but somehow he'd gotten him to agree. He also uses his captainly powers to rearrange bridge shifts today giving  _ him _ several hours off while Drift was on duty. All this would be worth it though and hopefully Drift won't be too upset about the extra shift. Because after today no more dents, no more bots reading his emotions wrong, and no more of not being able to eat like everyone else.

 

He stands in front of the medbay door.

 

He opens it.

 

He doesn't regret it, later. The new mouth is weird but he’s glad he asked Ratchet to keep the fuel intake on the back if his neck. He wasn't planning on telling Drift right away and keeping the intake would help with that. Now he's glad he kept it for a different reason. He keeps telling himself he won't regret this. How awkward and wrong it feels to have a mouth. He just needs time to adjust. That's all (he hopes).

 

He actually prefers the faceplate all things considered. The mouth is too open. Too, too  _ much. _ Better to just, forget he has this now. Too late to ask Ratch to undo his work because  _ that _ wouldn't go down well. So, faceplate it was. Back to the usual status quo. 

 

**[Rites]**

 

They complete the rites at the observation deck. Swerve’s was Rodimus’ first choice but he thought Drift might prefer this to be just him and Rodimus. And if Rodimus was entirely truthful with himself the surprise he had for the fourth act was something we wanted only Drift to see. So, Observation Deck 1 it was. 

 

It was definitely better than he thought it would be. Sitting still for long periods of time was absolutely terrible and, nothing against Drift, meditation should be a torture practice. But with Drift next to him, hand in hand, staring out at infinity, it was nice, really nice. 

 

Drift’s hand moves in the way Rodimus had learned was ‘I love you’ in chirolinguistics which leaves Rodimus’ feeling like he’s floating. Both of their fields mingle till their happiness and love is one and the same. 

 

“Do you want to start? Or should I?” He asks. Ritual one complete, intimacy. Now for act two, disclosure. Fun.

 

He feels Drift's nod. Hears the exhale of Drift's vents.

 

“Back- back in the Dead End, before meeting Ratchet well, you know how it is.” He tries to steady his voice, this is  _ Rodimus _ he's talking to. The mech who accepted a dangerous ex-con like he was a long lost friend. And more than that Rodimus  _ knows _ what it was like. He doesn't have to worry about being judged for who he was before. “Steal what you need, whether it came from a vendor or another  mech, dead or alive, and save up shanix just to escape it all for a while.” Drift stares out at the stars whizzing past as the Lost Light speeds by at warp speed.

 

“That was life, day in day out for- for- well long as I could remember back then. Couldn't give you an estimate, felt like forever. And, then I met him, or well he met me really. Gasket. First mech that ever saw me as more than just a worthless pile of scrap. He saw a  _ mech _ .”

 

“He took me in, this little gang. Did the same stuff as before really, stealing and all and yet, for the first time it I felt like I had a  _ family.  _ Life was terrible but we had each other.”

 

“Know the feeling…” Rodimus interjects. He remembers the daily struggle to survive in Nyon. Days without any proper energon and even when he could scrap some together the others always took priority. No matter how hungry he'd been or whether he was running in fumes, those in worse shape than him got fueled first. But he also knows the mechs he cared about more than anything, his fellow homeless and discarded. They had nothing and yet they had  _ everything _ . They had each other. 

 

He knows the feeling of having that family all too well. But, he knows the feeling of losing them all even better.

 

Drift doesn't react to his words, too caught up in the past.

 

“He died. Stood up for someone else and was murdered by enforcers. Clean shot to the spark. Dead before he hit the ground… I…” He turns his head to look anywhere other than Rodimus, regret flooding his side of the em field. ”I snapped, woke up surrounded by dead mechs and energon on my hands… And- He was so optimistic you know? Thought there was something better out there for us. Back then I laughed in his face but now…” He turns back to Rodimus, “Guess he was right. I have you.”

 

Drift squeezes Rodimus’ hand again before his gaze becomes distant once more. Reliving memories he obviously didn't want to remember. 

 

The casual show of weakness felt  _ wrong  _ coming from Drift but, seeing him open up like this was almost nice in a way. A show of such deep trust that left Rodimus feeling warm and fuzzy.

 

He lightly bonks Drift’s shoulder, snapping him out of his thoughts. Drift gives him a half smile before returning the kiss with one of his own to Rodimus’ forehead.

 

“Thank you, for telling me. But my turn now huh?” His wariness must've shown because Drift tightens his hold on Rodimus’ hand, saying something in chiro he can’t understand but knows is meant to comfort.

 

“When you're ready.”

 

“Where to begin? Lived in the Acroplolex, who turned out to be Metroplex, crazy right? Ha…” He draws his gaze downwards. “Just me and the rest of our group. We'd huddle for warmth when it got cold, I'd go out to look for energon for the others while Lightline and- they- the others grabbed supplies and helped with energon.”

 

“Then of course, Zeta had to come.

and ruin everything. Started draining mechs, storing it in giant tanks in the Acroplolex.” His free hand clenches into a fist. “Mechs would  _ flock _ to those vats y'know? Desperate for just a drop of energon.”

 

“So we started planning, try to drive out Zeta and all that. Worked with Swindle to get- get the…” He doesn't want to remember this part. What comes next.” The bombs.” He manages to choke out. “Ended up leading Optimus to the vats when he came to arrest me for bombing him. Showed him what- what was going on and then.” He pauses.

 

“Take your time.” Drift moves his other hand up to his spoiler, softly petting the metal.

 

“Thanks.” He can do this. For Drift. “He attacked. Zeta, he attacked Nyon with the Omega Destructors and… and… Everything was on fire Drift. But we had planned for this and I had the trigger and  _ I killed everyone _ .” It’s a miracle he isnt crying. He certainly feels like crying right now. He's certainly shaking.

 

“I doubt any one of those mechs would blame you, Roddy. You saved them from a worse death.”

 

“Th-thanks.” He tries to calm himself down. Act two done but still two more acts. Right, act three, profference. “So uh, I got you this…” He reaches into his subspace and grabs the hilt the the gift got Drift before handing it over. 

 

Drift gently takes the knife, still in its sheath from Rodimus and draws the blade.

 

“This is beautiful Rodimus…” The blade fits nicely in Drift's grip, the handle itself engraved with the glyph “Love” and crafted with elegant symbol. The very same symbols that were supposed to be worn in a full spectralist ceremony. “Oh, Roddy how..?”

 

“I made it, the knife. Took awhile to get it right… Took many,  _ many _ tries just to get the spectralist stuff just right.”

 

“ _ Thank _ you. This means a lot.” Drift kisses his faceplate. “And of course, for you.” He pulls out a medium sized box from his own subspace and hands it to Rodimus.

 

Rodimus holds the box carefully before opening it. Inside were hundreds of energon goodies each different colors and flavors; some with intricate designs while others plain cubes. The significance of the gift wasn't lost on Rodimus. Fuel was not something given lightly. Growing up on the streets made fuel precious giving it away to anyone was a huge sign of trust and goodwill. And with the amount Drift had given...

 

“Wow.  _ Wow _ . Thanks Drift, really.” He gives Drift a bonk to his cheek.

 

Act three done. Rodimus was beginning to feel anxious now. Act four, devotion. Meaning he'd get to show Drift his surprise…

 

“I didn't think I'd be this nervous but wow, one more step till conjunx…”

 

“It's certainly something I never imagined happening but… I know I love you Roddy, that's all I need.”

 

“Ya, ya same, love ya too Dwifty.” A twitch from said mech. “Ok, I'll start just, offline your optics for a sec ‘kay?”

 

Drift does as he's asked optics growing dark. Rodimus undoes the facemask, the air feeling odd on his face.he's struck with the realization that well, he's never actually  _ kissed _ anyone. The most experience he has is just watching Drift kiss him and well holoform kisses didn't really count. But… He can do this. For Drift. 

 

He leans in slowly bringing his lips to Drift’s, and its,  _ amazing _ . It's slightly awkward for him and he has no idea what to do beyond pressing his lips to Drift’s and yet… It's the most wonderful feeling. Drift beside him goes stiff with shock, onlineing his optics to see exactly  _ what _ he was being kissed by. Rodimus moves back, faceplate stiff open as he catches Drift’s gaze.

 

“You-”

 

“Got a mouth?” Talking from his mouth still feels weird, not at all like just making sound from his vox box. “Ya, had Brainstorm make one up and got Ratch to install it… Do you like it?”

 

“You did that for  _ me?” _

 

“Ya… Better than denting you all the time right?”

 

“ _ Rodimus _ .” Drift wraps his arms around the other mech drawing him close into a hug. “You didn't have to and yet you  _ did.  _ For  _ me. _ I don't know what to say…”

 

“You don't have to, right now a kiss would work just as well.”

 

So Drift does and it's easily the second best kiss Rodimus has ever had in his life.

 

**[Expression]**

 

“ _ Why is this so hard! _ ” Rodimus cries. They'd been at it for an hour or two trying to teach Rodimus how to express with his new face.

 

“Look, touch if you want, at how my face moves to smile.” He gently guides Rodimus’ hands to his face. Watches the twitchs of his conjunx’s face trying to mimic Drift’s own.

 

Its flustering how focused Rodimus is on learning how to express with a face. His touch gentle as he feels out the slight nuances in Drift’s face. Rodimus makes a face that looks more like a grimace than the smile he's going for which draws a small laugh out of Drift.

 

“Not quite.” That earns a groan from Rodimus who falls dramatically backwards. “But… Maybe… Let me try to move you face into position.”

 

Rodimus pulls himself upwards back to a sitting position in front of Drift. “I hate this dumb face…”

 

“You're doing very well for a beginner!” Rodimus gives him a  _ look _ for that. “Here, let me just…” He gently cups Rodimus’ face moving the face into a soft smile and… wow. No mech should have a smile that cute.

 

“Drift?” Rods voice is a bit muffled by how Drift’s holding his face but it snaps him out of staring all the same.

 

“Oh, um yes, that's a smile. I'm going to let go now just remember that's a smile.”

 

“Gotcha.”

 

The smiles still a bit wonky but it's no longer a grimace and that's something.

 

“I'm keeping the faceplate on this is too much work, how do you  _ do _ it all the time. How does your face not  _ ache _ . Like  _ constantl _ y.”

 

Well, it certainly was something. Baby steps and all that.

 

**[Date]**

 

The Lost Light was currently stopped on some faraway planet Rodimus didn't particularly care to know the name of, not because he was  _ rude  _ but because there was a huge planet wide festival in full swing that demanded he and Drift go to.

 

So obviously they did. Much to Magnus’ chagin and Megs exasperation.

 

They spent hours wandering through the main capital of the planet. Shop after shop, game after game, until nighttime came over the planet and the festivities began to slowly wind down. By local tradition however there was still supposed to be a huge explosion to end off the ceremony which sounded  _ amazing _ and he absolutely took the chance to race Drift to what one of the locals said was a great view point.

 

Sadly their translators must've malfunctioned because it  _ wasn't _ a huge explosion but a series of many tiny explosions or fireworks as the humans back on Earth called them.

 

But, fireworks had their upside too. Like getting to see how pretty Drift was bathed in the multicolored light reflecting of his plating. Or getting to bonk his faceplate against Drift and watch the colorful light reflect in those blue optics.

 

…. 

 

He needed to get Brainstorm to make him some fireworks.


End file.
